The North Korea nightmare continues to play out. This article echoes the

usual liberal call for two-party talks.

That can only result in the sort of bogus agreement struck by President

Clinton. But the article is right to point to China’s foot-dragging. I

still hope China might come around and pressure North Korea on the nuclear

issue. Perhaps at the last minute it will. But the greater likelihood is

that China actually prefers an aggressive and nuclear North Korea. What

better way to keep the United States in check? And if a terrorist bomb

purchased from North Korea happens to take out Washington, why would China

object?

North Korea’s economy is a disaster area. That’s what makes it vulnerable

to a Chinese withdrawal of sales and subsidies. But that’s also what gives

North Korea the motive to make money the only way it can–by selling

military contraband. Does North Korea have any reason not to add nuclear

weapons to its already hefty military sales inventory? I don’t think

so. But I do think North Korea has a motive to forgo a nuclear test. A

test would only alarm the world. The Koreans would be smarter to develop

nukes without testing and sell them on the sly. Then the world’s

complacency, and the calls for bogus deals, would continue.